


Too Little, Too Late

by SilverGuardian (TheGuardian219)



Series: Limited Time AU [2]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, Brother Feels, Brothers, Dreams, Feels, Gen, Grunkle Ford Needs A Hug, Limited Time AU, Sad Grunkle Stan, Time Wish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 15:09:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6810403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGuardian219/pseuds/SilverGuardian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ford glanced around as the citizens of Gravity Falls rushed for their loved ones. The destruction around them was ignored in favor of enjoying their victory. His brother was gazing at the time wish, the glowing ord just buzzing with energy.</p><p>Stanley can have what ever he wanted in the world. So why does he look so sad?</p><p>A look at what Ford was feeling before Stanley made the wish.</p><p>You don't have to read the first one to understand but it would really help if you did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Little, Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry the update is taking so long but I needed a little refresher. Ford's a little confused in this and so was I while writing it. Hope you enjoy!

Everything was going to be okay. 

After years of trying, Bill is finally destroyed. Thirty years of scouring the multiverse for a way to destroy the demon and all he needed was in his home demension. He was solid gold for much of the action but after his brother and the townsfolk rescued him and found a way to reverse what Bill, they hatched a plan to finally destroy him.

Only for it to fail.

The sheer terror of failing and facing the destruction of theur world nearly gave him a heart attack but then that odd time traveler tumbled out off the bushes, the time police followed before a deep voice, full of confidence, warned Bill. Stanford was expecting a lot of things, none of those comprised of a giant baby.

With the help of the inventions of Fiddleford, the strengths of the supernatural creatures and the absolute will power of the townsfolk, Bill Cipher was stopped once and for all.

He can't wait to write all this down to journal 4. The absolute thrill of having save the world and seeing all those time police and supernatural creatures was making him high. But the adrenaline was wearing off, the weariness started to seep into his bones.

"Are you alright, Grunkle Ford?" Mabel asked while trying to see of he should have some of her hello kitty band-aids.

"I'm good." How could a band-aid with a cat on it help him better than a regular one? "All the action earlier made me tired."

"Don't worry! A glass of Mabel juice and you'll be writing in your journal like there's no tomorrow!"

He smiled at her enthusiasm. She turned and saw Dipper running towards them. Her gaze shifted and her mouth dropped open. "Dipper look!"

The boy turned around and gasped.

"Time Baby's giving him a time wish!?"

A time wish? He heard stories about that orb that ruined worlds and started wars. He witnessed a whole dimension in ruins after the effects of a wish. All that power was at the fingertips of Stanley.

"Hold on Grunkle Ford, we have to talk to Soos!" Dipper said before grabbing Mabel's hand.

People started to look at Stanley Pines and the mysterious orb in his hands.

"Look, not that I'm ungrateful or anything but I didn't do anything special, give this to one of them." he nodded towards the citizens.

"C'mon chief, you practically convinced all of us to fight for the town! Manly Dan yelled.

"That's right. If it weren't for you, all of us would have turned into stones." Lazy Susan added. 

The townsfolk all joined in and Stanford could see his brother's discomfort. He cocked his head, one would think that Stanley would jump at this opportunity of having anything he could ever want AND the attention of everyone around him.

"Aha! The twins could have it." He grinned towards the niblings.

"Nope. It's all yours Grunkle Stan!" Dipper crossed his arms.

"What!?"

"We have everything we could wish for. You on the other hand-" Mabel just grinned at her grunkle.

Stanley looked towards him. He wanted to take it. He really did. Just imagining all the things he could learn made him want to snatch it off his brother's hands.

No. Stanley deserves this. 

He shook his head and smiled. "You deserve it Stan."

He turned his head. "Come on, let's give him some time to think."

Seeing the crowd go back to their business he sat at a nearby rock. He pulled out a notebook and began writing. It wasn't a journal but it would have to do.

His mind drifted back to the time wish and he could recall all the times he wished he could be given one. The closest he came to seeing it came from a blurry hologram from dimension 61 A. Seeing one up close nearly made him revert to the curious scientist and the dreaded greedy brother. His mind was supplying rationalizations of why he should have taken it. Of why he deserved it more than his brother. 

_It's not too late. He doesn't look like he wants it. He'll be glad to give it away._

**No. Stanley deserves it as much as-if not more than I do.**

_Giving that time wish to you is almost like paying for ruining your chances for West Coast Tech.  
_

**Shut up.**

_With that wish in your hands, you could undestand everything. You could finally get all the knowledge you want. You'll be able to make a name for yourself and make a difference. You may even be able to replicate it? What'll he do with that anyway? Wish to have endless suppy of ice cream? Have infinite amounts of gold? Maybe he'll wish to finally fulfill that stupid dream of sailing around the world._

**It's not stupid. And he doesn't have to wish for that, I'll take him sailing myself once the kids leave.**

When did he plan that? It sounds crazy at first but it made sense. It's been their dream since they were kids. Having the world nearly end tends to get your priorities straight apparently. He doesn't want to have regrets when the time comes and their proper reunion has been post-poned enough times already. Besides Gravity Falls may have a concentrated amount of supernatural creatures but the opportunity to look for more answers- 

He looked down at the notebook and noticed that he drew a sail boat in the corner, just like he did in journal 3. But unlike then, he smiled and made plans instead of ripping it off in anger and pain.

He'll make things right between them again. Bill is gone and for once, he wants to just relax and forget his troubles. Fixing things with his brother may take more time but it'll be worth it. He smiled as he pocketed the notebook and approached his brother while the twins and his employees asked what his wish was.

"What did you wish for?” His curiosity got the best of him.

“Hold your horses would ‘ya? I haven’t made the wish yet.”

“Do you need help?” Wendy asked playfully. “Nope. ‘Mind is made up.” Stanley raised his eyebrow at her.

“What are you waiting for!?” Mabel nearly yelled into his ear.

“Yeah Grunkle Stan, the suspense is killing us.”

Anything the world could offer and more but his brother seemed out off it. He almost seemed upset.

“Let’s just say that I can use this to correct one of the biggest mistakes I made.”

Stanley's smile seemed forced. It was like the ones he used while conning people—not that Ford was watching his brother give tours, that would have been wasting precious time. He was merely passing by and was curious. The words sent a jolt of fear in his heart. The twins seemed to notice it too and so did his brother's employees who glanced at each other with worry.

"Which is?" Dipper finally asked the question they wanted to voice out.

"Losing millions of dollars!" his brother barked out with fake enthusiasm.

He still couldn't shake the feeling. The twins seemed puzzled. How on earth did Stanley lost millions dollars!?

"How exactly did you almost get millions of dollars, knucklehead?” 

Stan let out a loud laugh.

“Stop being such a stick in the mud Poindexter.” His brother gazed out in the distance, seeing something not there. Stanford stared at him, trying to decipher what was going on in his twin's head 

“Mr. Pines? Are you alright dude?”

"Yeah, m’fine. Just having trouble processing everything all out.”

It was an obvious lie. Stanley was not this bad at lying 

“Stanley, you’re worrying me.”

“That’s a first.” He's deflecting. Something really is up.

“Grunkle Stan?”

“Listen Kiddos-“His breath caught in his throat.                                                                     

“Summer’s over. I’m gonna miss you so make sure you come back next year capische?”

“Are you kidding? We’ll always come back!” Mabel yelled.

“Yeah Grunkle Stan. If anything the jokes on you because we’ll annoy you every summer.” Dipper added.

Stanley swiped at his eye. The action was missed by everyone but Stanford.

“Maybe I should have thought that through. Anyway I think I lost my fez somewhere there, can you two get it?”

“Okay!” The kids dragged Soos and Wendy by the hand to find the missing fez. Stanford approached his brother.

“What was that about?”

“What was what all about?" Stanford sighed. Fine, have it your way Stanley. The corner of his lips twitched as he remembered his plan of finally asking Stan to sail around the world with him.

"Listen Stanley-“

“What do you need now poindexter? It’s over. Summer’s almost over, the kids will leave and you’ll have your house back. I’ll start packing the moment they get on the bus."

Wait, what?

“Stanley that’s not-“

“What? You’re kicking Grunkle Stan out?”

They both turned and saw the hurt and confused gazes of the young Pines Twins.

“Look kid-“ he begun.

“That doesn’t make sense! Weirdmageddon is over, I thought you two would have worked things out by now.” That's what he's trying to do goddamit!

“It’s a little complicated-“ Ford started.

“What’s so complicated about that? You two are brothers-Twins! Why can’t you just talk things through?” It must have been all the stress because suddenly his temper flared. It was not his fault entirely,   _all this mess could have easily been avoided of Stanley didn't break the damn machine!_

“He was the reason why I couldn’t have gone to my dream school!”

“That again? I told you, it was still working when I left.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He was hurt and he needed to know. Ten years of not knowing why his brother did what he did and another thirty not caring anymore of why it happened but still questioning why did his brother not tell him?

“I don’t know!”

“Just stop fighting!” Mabel yelled.

They both looked like they were ready to punch each other. He tried to calm himself down as his brother took a deep breath.

"Look Ford," he met his brother's eyes.

“I’m sorry. Maybe this whole mess wouldn’t have started if I didn’t ruin your damn project. I just-“ 

_Give me the wish, Stanley.aybe we could still fix this._

**Shut up!**

“Have you decided?” Time Baby approached them.

“Yep. I want to fix the biggest mistake of my life."

That again. The biggest mistake? Lost millions. Millions.

**_"You've cost our family millions."_ **

The booming voice of Filbrick Pines filled his mind and his back automatically straightened.

“No Stanley! Don’t do something stupid!”

With that much power and all his brother's insecurities who knows what he'll end up wishing.

“Great-uncle Ford?”

“Grunkle Stan?”

“Sorry Kiddos, looks like this is the last time you’ll be seeing of me. Sorry to break it to ya nerd but you’ll have to deal with me for a few more years.”

He frowned. Stan couldn't possibly mean-

The last he heard was the voice of his brother declaring his wish. He heard Mabel and Dipper's cry of protest and Soos' unmistakable gasp of _'It's almost like my fanfic, Mr. Pines don't-'_   Wendy's angry face mixed with confusion was the last thing he noticed before he looked at Stanley.

He saw his brother give him a bittersweet smile before all went white.

His last thoughts were filled with unfilfilled promises and broken dreams.

**  
**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ford's a little bit confused here and so was I while writing it XD. I hope you enjoyed it, as always please let me know what you think. Till next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Confused? Loved it? Hated it? Please let me know. I have to say that I thing some of them are a little OOC but then again we're seeing them in Ford perspective. Or are we? I think Ford is a little OOC but then again we didn't have that major cause of change of heart in the original ending.


End file.
